Fitness Ain't Just a Number

When it comes to health and fitness, we're rather obsessed with numbers, measuring health by BMI, cholesterol level, resting pulse rate, and the thickness of subcutaneous fat. Our fitness goals tend to be equally numero-centric: drop 10 pounds, gain another inch on your biceps, or lose two inches of tummy fat by swimsuit season. As we strive toward these goals, we count the minutes spent exercising, the calories burned, the reps performed, the miles we've run and the miles still to go ….

While such numbers can be useful, they do not provide a complete picture of any person's overall health and fitness. For example, two people may both be at their optimum BMI, but one may have achieved it through a healthy diet and regular exercise, while the other may have achieved it through undereating and smoking. For many people, being unable to reach a certain number is a constant source of frustration and shame, and becomes an excuse to give up. Another problem with the fitness-by-numbers approach is that it often promotes a sense of detachment from our bodies, which can lead us to ignore the warning signs that precede injuries. More commonly, it turns physical activity into a chore, robbing us of the sheer joy of movement we knew as children.

Rather than focusing on pounds or inches, we'd do better to aim for functional fitness. As explained in Use It Or Lose It, a booklet published by the British Columbia Ministry of Health and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and Fitness Canada, "Functional fitness means the person is capable of functioning effectively within the interactions they desire in their lifestyle. In short – they can do the things they want to do." A WebMD article says that functional fitness and functional exercise "…focus on building a body capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions."

Functional fitness doesn't market a particular physique or program, it stresses that each person has a unique body, needs, and goals, and requires you to assess yourself. What physical limitations are holding you back from participating in the activities you enjoy? What do you want to teach your body to do? How will you fit exercise and other healthy habits into your busy life? One person's fitness goal might be to compete in an ironman triathlon. Another person's goal might be to play with her active toddler all day and still have enough energy to carry her to bed at night.

Learning to work with your body also means working around its limitations. I know some amateur athletes and dancers who have learned to excel despite back pain, injuries, arthritis, and other conditions. One friend regularly works out at the gym, swims, and skis, and has dabbled in a variety of classes ranging from hip-hop to Brazilian jiu-jitsu – doing it all with only 5% of the eyesight of a normal individual. So learn your body's strengths and weaknesses, work with your body to extend your limits gradually, and find ways to make the process enjoyable. As you progress, adapt your exercise habits to match your improved abilities, or to accommodate changes in your body, goals, or life situation. Ultimately, progress can only be measured against yourself.

Once you stop fixating on your weight or waist, it often becomes possible to achieve your goals without consciously trying. Improved fitness also brings benefits that can't be quantified: more energy and vitality, an improved ability to handle stress, better mental clarity and mental health, and the sheer pleasure of being comfortable in your own body. Savoring the joy that comes from moving, learning, and living – that's more precious than any number I can imagine.

Discuss This Article

Have something you'd like to say? Tell us what you think! Read and post comments for this article.

Find a Job

Choose your career:

MedHunters is the world's biggest healthcare job board. Our job directory has 17,260 jobs with 2,476 hospitals and other direct employers.

We want you to find your next job on MedHunters. Need Help? Call us at 1-888-884-8242, email us at info@medhunters.com or sign up now.